How to Make a Website Your Homepage on Microsoft Edge

Overview

how to make a website your homepage on microsoft edge is a common task for site owners, entrepreneurs, and developers who want visitors or themselves to land on a specific page every time they open the browser. This guide shows practical, step-by-step instructions to configure the homepage button, startup pages, new-tab behavior, toolbar shortcuts, and enterprise enforcement options.

What you’ll learn and

why it matters:

you will learn how to set a homepage URL in Edge so your site opens reliably on browser start, how to make the homepage button accessible, how to make the browser open specific pages on startup, and how to enforce or share these settings with other users or devices. This matters for testing, demonstration sites, internal web apps, and creating a consistent landing experience.

Prerequisites: Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) installed on Windows or macOS, administrative access for registry or group policy steps if needed, and the URL of the website you want as the homepage. Time estimate: 30-60 minutes for the full guide, with each step broken into 10-minute chunks.

Step 1:

how to make a website your homepage on microsoft edge - Open Edge Settings

Open Microsoft Edge to begin. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, then choose Settings. Alternatively, press Alt+F and select Settings.

Why you do this: The Settings area centralizes appearance, startup, and new-tab configurations required to set a homepage. You need to access the specific sections to change behavior.

Actions:

1. Launch Edge.
2. Click the three-dot menu (Settings and more).
3. Click Settings.
4. In Settings, prepare to navigate to “Appearance” and “Start, home, and new tabs”.

Expected outcome: You will be on the Settings main screen and ready to change homepage and startup behavior.

Common issues and fixes:

• If the menu is missing, Edge may be in kiosk or locked mode. Restart Edge and check for managed settings (see Step 6).
• If Settings looks different, ensure you are using the Chromium-based Edge (version 79+). Update via Settings > About Microsoft Edge.

Commands or quick navigation:

• On Windows, you can open Settings directly with: start msedge chrome://settings
• On macOS, open Edge then use the menu Edge > Settings.

⏱️ ~10 minutes

Step 2:

Set the Home button URL and show the Home button

Set the visible Home button on the toolbar and assign it to your website. This gives a one-click way to load your homepage from any tab.

Why you do this: The Home button is a persistent visual shortcut that loads your chosen homepage even if you change startup settings later.

Actions:

1. In Settings, click Appearance.
2. Toggle “Show home button” to On.
3. Under “Show home button”, choose “Enter custom web address”. 4. Type or paste your website URL, for example:
4. Close Settings and verify the home icon appears left of the address bar.

Expected outcome: A home icon appears on the toolbar. Clicking it navigates to your configured URL.

Common issues and fixes:

• The “Show home button” option is greyed out: Check if policies manage the setting (see Step 6 for enterprise).
• Home button does not navigate correctly: Ensure you entered a full URL including https:// or http://.
• URL changes on click: If your site redirects, remember the home button will follow server redirects.

Example:

• Enter: yoursite.com

⏱️ ~10 minutes

Step 3:

Configure startup pages so Edge opens your site on launch

Make Edge open one or more specific pages when launched so your chosen website loads the moment the browser starts.

Why you do this: Startup pages ensure your site appears automatically when the browser starts or when users open Edge, which is ideal for demos, kiosks, or daily workflows.

Actions:

1. In Settings, go to “Start, home, and new tabs” or “On startup” (label varies).
2. Under “When Edge starts”, select “Open these pages”.
3. Click “Add a new page”.
4. Enter your homepage URL (for example: ) and save.
5. Optionally add multiple URLs for additional tabs to open.

Expected outcome: When you close and reopen Edge, it opens the configured page(s) automatically.

Common issues and fixes:

• Edge restores previous session instead: Change “When Edge starts” from “Continue where you left off” to “Open these pages”.
• Duplicate tabs on startup: Remove duplicates from the “Open these pages” list.
• Settings revert: Check for enterprise policies or syncing that may override settings.

Commands:

• Quick open startup settings URL: chrome://settings/onStartup

⏱️ ~10 minutes

Step 4:

Make the New Tab page open your website (use an extension)

Edge’s built-in new tab page is limited; to load a custom website on each New Tab, install a New Tab redirect extension.

Why you do this: Some workflows require every new tab to show a specific site. Edge does not natively let you replace the new tab with an arbitrary URL without an extension.

Actions:

1. Open the Edge Add-ons store or enable Chrome Web Store support in Edge settings.
2. Search for “New Tab Redirect” or “Custom New Tab”.
3. Install a trusted extension (check reviews and permissions).
4. Open the extension options and set your site URL (for example: ).
5. Test by opening a new tab (Ctrl+T or Command+T).

Expected outcome: Each time you open a new tab, Edge loads the custom URL defined in the extension.

Common issues and fixes:

• Extension blocked from Chrome Web Store: Enable “Allow extensions from other stores” when prompted.
• Extension requests many permissions: Review permissions and choose a minimal, reputable extension.
• New tab still shows Microsoft content: Ensure the extension is enabled and set as default for new-tab behavior.

Example extension: “New Tab Redirect” has a simple settings field where you paste your URL.

⏱️ ~10 minutes

Step 5:

Create a desktop shortcut and pin the homepage to the toolbar

Add a desktop shortcut and pin the homepage site for quick access outside the browser UI.

Why you do this: Shortcuts allow launching Edge directly to your site and can be distributed to users or placed on kiosks.

Actions - create a .url file (Windows):

1. Open Notepad. 2. Paste the following and replace the URL and icon path as needed:

[InternetShortcut]
URL=
IconFile=C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe
IconIndex=0

3. Save the file as MySite.url on the desktop.
4. Double-click to test.

Actions - pin the site in Edge:

1. Open the site in Edge.
2. Click the three-dot menu > More tools > Pin to taskbar (Windows) or Add to desktop.
3. Pin the icon to the Edge toolbar if desired by right-clicking and selecting options.

Expected outcome: A desktop shortcut opens Edge directly to the site and a pinned toolbar icon provides quick access.

Common issues and fixes:

• .url file opens with a different browser: Change default browser settings in Windows or set the link to use msedge explicitly.
• Pin to taskbar missing: Use More tools > Create shortcut and then manually pin the created shortcut.

⏱️ ~10 minutes

Step 6:

Enforce or distribute homepage settings with Group Policy or Registry (optional, enterprise)

Use Windows Group Policy or registry keys to enforce homepage settings across multiple machines or to lock the setting for users.

Why you do this: For corporate environments, labs, kiosks, or shared machines, centrally enforcing a homepage prevents users from changing it and ensures consistency.

Actions:

1. Download the Microsoft Edge policy templates (ADMX) from Microsoft and load them into Group Policy Editor. 2. Under Computer Configuration or User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge, configure:

• Show home button
• HomepageLocation (set URL)
• RestoreOnStartup and RestoreOnStartupURLs for startup tabs

3. To apply via Registry, create the policy keys under HKLM or HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge.

Expected outcome: Devices receiving the policy will have the homepage and startup pages set and the option may be locked from user changes.

Common issues and fixes:

• Policies not applying: Run gpupdate /force and restart Edge.
• Conflicting policies: Check both HKLM and HKCU keys and Group Policy precedence.
• Wrong policy name: Use the latest ADMX for the correct policy names.

Registry example (REG file) - replace:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"HomepageLocation"=""
"ShowHomeButton"=dword:00000001
"RestoreOnStartup"=dword:00000001
"RestoreOnStartupURLs"=hex:00

Note: Use ADMX templates for arrays like RestoreOnStartupURLs or set via GPO UI.

⏱️ ~10 minutes

Testing and Validation

Use the following checklist to verify the homepage is configured correctly:

1. Open Edge and click the Home button - it should load the configured URL.
2. Close and reopen Edge - it should open the site if you configured startup pages.
3. Open a new tab to confirm new-tab behavior if an extension was installed.
4. Use a different user profile or an incognito/private window to confirm whether the setting is profile-specific.
5. For group policy changes, run gpupdate /force and check edge://policy to verify active policies.

Perform each test three times and on a full browser restart to ensure consistency. If any step fails, re-check the exact URL format (include https://) and policy overrides.

Common Mistakes

1. Missing protocol (http/https): Enter the full URL including https:// to avoid redirects or errors.
2. Expecting new-tab to change without an extension: Edge restricts replacing the new-tab page; use a vetted extension to redirect new tabs.
3. Ignoring managed policies: In corporate environments settings may be locked by IT. Check edge://policy for active policies and coordinate with IT.
4. Entering invalid URLs or local network addresses: Test URLs in the address bar first to confirm they load; use IPs only if necessary.

Avoid these by validating URLs before configuration, checking policy status in Edge, and using the correct admin tools for enterprise deployment.

FAQ

How Do I Set a Homepage in Microsoft Edge?

Open Edge Settings, go to Appearance, enable “Show home button”, select “Enter custom web address”, and paste your URL. You can also configure startup behavior under “On startup” to open specific pages.

Will the Homepage be the Same Across Profiles?

No. Homepage and startup settings are profile-specific by default. To make settings identical across profiles, configure each profile or use enterprise policies to enforce a common homepage.

Can I Make a Custom New Tab Page Without an Extension?

Not reliably. Edge does not natively allow arbitrary URLs for the New Tab page; install a trusted extension such as “New Tab Redirect” to open a custom URL on new tabs.

How Do I Reset the Homepage Setting?

Go to Settings > Appearance and toggle off “Show home button” or clear the custom web address. For startup pages, remove entries under Settings > On startup.

Can IT Enforce a Homepage for All Users?

Yes. Use Group Policy (ADMX) or registry policies under Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge to set HomepageLocation, ShowHomeButton, and RestoreOnStartupURLs. Use gpupdate /force to apply changes.

What If My Homepage Keeps Changing?

Check edge://policy to see if an enterprise policy is overriding your settings, and inspect sync settings that might propagate changes from another device. Also verify browser extensions that can modify new-tab or homepage behavior.

Next Steps

After setting the homepage, consider testing your site for load performance, mobile responsiveness, and SEO fundamentals to ensure it provides a good landing experience. For developers and entrepreneurs, add analytics and UTM parameters to track visits from the homepage. If deploying to multiple machines, use packaging tools or scripts to distribute desktop shortcuts and policies.

Further Reading

• Make a website desktop shortcut across Windows, macOS, and Linux (detailed how-to)
• Create a Website Shortcut Guide
• Make a Website Https Step by Step
• Create a Website Sitemap Complete Guide

Sources & Citations

• https://www.yoursite.com - https://www.yoursite.com